Sunset Silhouette

[SugarMama]

What do you all think of this picture? I had to darken it alot to get the silhouette effect. Those rocks also went farther out so they were in the background behind the kids and I cloned them out.

[wulf]

I would love to see the "before" shot for this one. Overall, I think the result is very good.

If anything, I think you might have pushed the silhouette effect a bit too far, making the people look like cut-outs. If that is not what you were aiming for, allowing a bit of backlighting (light reflecting round the edges from a light source further away) would have given them a more 3D form. Also, I would be interested to see if there were other cropping options (more space below the feet? less space to the right?).

Overall though, it is a striking picture and I can't spot any traces of cloning.

Well done.

Wulf

[SugarMama]

Yeah, I kind of feel like they look like cutouts too....Here's the original:

[wulf]

I think you did great with the colours of the background, the cloning out of the extra rocks (although that is not entirely necessary) and the rotation of the horizon.

I would suggest looking at recropping it - see my rough idea below.

Wulf

[SugarMama]

I had them too much "in the middle" right? Thanks for the tip! I kind of thought the rocks were distracting in the before picture. It was a fun cloning lesson for me anyways

[jiminyClickit]

SugarMama,

Like the photo for color and lighting. For a real challenge, imagine lightening the subjects enough to just stand out from rocks behind them? Agree on the foot thing, just feels incomplete.

After thousands of clone tool practices, the repeats of water show to my eye, but not too much. A suggestion: move the "selector" (or whatever your program calls the thing that indicates what you're cloning) often to different areas of water, so there will be a believable look, varied some in color and shape. Enjoy your work!

[xxpinballxx]

nice job. I think the cloning too is a blessing and like jiminy i can only see the repetition on the last bit of rock next to the adults hip but oter than that its so small not noticable. I think making it somewhere in between the two as far as darkening goes and I agree with wulf on the lower part. A little ground under the feet does look more complete. Great photo though.

[wulf]

Originally Posted by SugarMama

I had them too much "in the middle" right? Thanks for the tip! I kind of thought the rocks were distracting in the before picture. It was a fun cloning lesson for me anyways

Yes - the picture seems to balance better to me with less "empty space" at the left. The people seem to be looking towards the horizon on the right, hence why it works to leave more space there.

On the rocks, I'm not saying you shouldn't clone them out but, with a bit of backlighting to separate them from the figures, I don't think it is completely essential.

Wulf